Ship structure.



D. A. WOLFE.

SHIP STRUCTURE. APPLICATION nun ow/22, 1912:

1,061,153; I Patented May 6,1913. I 3 BHEBTg-SKHET 1- I 81mm fl/lAWa/fr,

wuuem d I Q D. A. WOLFE.

SEIP STRUCTURE.

. APPLIK1 AT1( )NI'ILED OUT. 22, 15512. ,;1,061,1 53. Patented May 6, 1913.

' 2 BKETHHBBT B.

m a I p tare-- T; all it may concern -Turin, in the county of Monona and 4 of Icwa, have invented new and useful Im- DAVID noon wears, on IOWA.

Be a known that I, mm A. wens, a

citizen of the United States, residin at tate provernents in Ship Structure, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to marine vessels,

' and its object isto provide a vessel composed of bottom and top sections, each hav-- ing ahull, the construction beinsuch that,

"in the event of the penetration o the hullof the lower section to a certain, degree, the

space between the sections'will form an ;air:'

chamber t5 limit "the inflow of water, while, in the event'of irreparable damage tothe. lower section, the upper section will float free and safely carry the passengers and crew.

L. With the above and other objectsin view,

the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel constructed in accordance with my invention. .Fig.- 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the sections separated.

Referring to the drawings, l-designates a ship or marinevessel, which, in accordance with my invention, is longitudinally divided in a transverse direction from bow to stern, forming superposed sections 2'and 3. Each section is complete in itself, and com- -prises-a body or hull having any desired number of decks 4 and a conventional form of bottom 5. Companionways 6 connect the decks of each section, and in the bottom of the section 3 are provided doorways or hatches 7 for the passage of the occupants of thevessel to and from the respective sections. These doors 7 may he of an'automatically closing type, operated when the hull of the lower section lills with water to a prei-letermincd extent. or is released from connection with the hull of the upper section. and in any event are adapted to he closed in a watertight manner. to prevent. entrance of water to the upper section in the event of accident.

The hull of the section 2 is provided with a frame seat 8 on- \\'hich the bottom of the hull of the section It normally rests, \vhcrcb Specification of ietters Patent. Application filed octobei-a'z, 1912. Serial in; 727,234.

. Patented May 6,19 13.

- the section s are maintained in engagement with each other under normal conditions by thewelght of the top section, but, if desired, the sections may be connected by mechanical fastenings of-a-type to be readily released fwhen it is desired to. free the .top section from the bottom section." The boilers 9 and other elements of the propelling mechanism of the 'yessel may be disposed for normal service in the bottom of the 'section 2, but if desired a second series of boilers 10 may be arranged m the bottom of thesectio'n 3 andarranged to operate auxiliary propelling mechanism, by which said section 3, in the event of its release from thesection 2, may

have its own 'drivin power. The steering and dup icate s etsmay be used, one carried by the section 2 for normal service, and the other by the section'3 for emergency use.

In the event that the section 2 should be gear employedmay e' of any suitable type the water in such manner as to open the hull thereof, if the break is not of any eon-' siderable extent it will be understood that the entrance of water to said section will be arrested as soon as the 'air contained therein is compressed to a certain degree, whereby theship in entiretywillgbe kept afloat. If, however, the section 2 should be damaged to damaged or penetrated by collision with another vessel or other. object above or below,

a great extent and sink'under the weight of .the water therein the section 3 will float free thereof as an independent vessel and will safely car the passengers and crew.

The hull? of the section 2 is preferably double-walled, thus diminishing liability of its penetration in the event of collision or striking an obstruction, and enabling repairs in'taise of artial damage to be more readilymade. I desired the said section 2, or both sections, may be provided with water-tight compartments of the usual type. In case of'fire in the hold, the lower section may be sunk and the upper section allowed to tloat-otf so as to save the passengers and any valuable portion of the freight which maybe carried.

I claim l. A ship comprising a longitudinally and transversely divided body, forming superposed sections, the lower section having spaced inner and outer walls (.(llltltK'ltNl at their upper edges by a concavcd hrulge portion forming a seat, the said upper section having rounoed surfaces to engage said seat,

whereby the sections are assembled.

2. A ship vcomprising a I transverseiy divided body,

held detachably on itudinally and orming super- 5 posed sections, each having a hull closed at its base the hnll of the lower section embodying inner and outer walls connected at their upper marginal edges by a concaved' bridge forming a seat, and the hull of the- I 10 upper section having rou nded portions to In testimon whereof 13am my signature 15 in presence 0 two witnesses.

' DAVID ACON WVOLFE. Witnesses:

E. E. Moons, N. C. SEAN. 

